‘An in-house leader’ Durham FD member named N.H. Grange Assoc. Firefighter of Year

Friday

Dec 7, 2012 at 3:15 AM

By Andrea Bulfinchabulfinch@fosters.com

DURHAM — Though Durham Fire Chief Corey Landry says he normally doesn’t nominate just one individual from his hard-working department for any type of award, when he read the outline from the New Hampshire Grange Association for Firefighter of the Year, there was one name that came to mind.

“He’s an in-house leader,” Landry said of firefighter Dave Blatchford who, for his constant dedication and thoughtful innovation within the department, was presented the Grange award in October.

According to its website, “the Grange is, and has long been, the strongest sustained organizational force working effectively toward attaining a good and full life for all citizens of rural America.”

Blatchford was chosen from applicants across the state not only for his work within the department but the extra hours and commitment put in with programs such as FASTER, an educational safety program at Oyster River Middle School implemented by Blatchford.

“I didn’t do it by myself. I couldn’t have done it,” Blatchford countered, crediting his fellow firefighters for helping him run such a popular program.

Though he was honored for his work in October at the Ashworth Hotel in Hampton with coworkers and family present, Blatchford was reluctant to take sole credit for the accomplishment.

“I don’t look at it as a single person (accomplishing this),” he said.

When Landry first called, Blatchford thought his chief was pulling a prank.

“It didn’t hit me til later,” he said.

He also realized, he said, that all the hours, both on duty and volunteer, are truly recognized. He said for that, especially, he is thankful.

He returned the acknowledgment by sending a thank-you card to Landry.

Working with the university and maintaining a presence within the community is a big part of what the department does and the type of thing which Blatchford consistently takes part in.